Croatia: Šibenik and Split

KB Cook
Oct 14
6 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

Day 35 Šibenik

Apparently I slept fine, despite my misgivings. I was on the Flixbus at 10am, which left Zadar on time, but was 20 minutes late into Šibenik. Our terminus was the same location we’d been dropped at when I did the ship’s excursion from Split. The Hotel Jadran was a stroll down the level waterfront, much less crowded than it had been on Easter Sunday. Big bed, a desk, and windows with a view of the water (when the café umbrellas were retracted.) Good WiFi.

Front facade, Saint James’ Cathedral / Katedrala sv. Jakova, Šibenik, Croatia — Saint James’ Cathedral / Katedrala sv. Jakova, Šibenik, Croatia

Back outside, I headed back to the Cathedral of St James, which I hadn’t been able to enter a week earlier. It was a bit after 1pm, and I slipped into the back to sit and wait the conclusion of four baptisms – three girls and a boy. The service soon ended, however each family wanted their photo opportunities with the priest at the altar and in the baptistry, so I had a quarter hour of contemplation.

Once the final family were getting their altar shots, I slipped down a short flight of stairs into the circular room that is the baptistry. A pink marble bowl, supported by white marble cherubs sit in the center of a circular domed room. Impressive carvings fill the ceiling.

Back to the nave, the church was emptying, and I was able to get photographs. The central nave has a high curved stone vault, with a short gallery with narrow openings between pillars. The circular window over the entry is somewhat abstract, fan-like leaves radiating around the center, colors grading from red to indigo, baby blue and lime green. The sanctuary was up three steps to where the main altar sits behind tall candleholders. Behind a rail and up more steps, back into the apse, is the high altar and tabernacle, the marble altarpiece a mix of saints and angels.

Outside, the Sunday afternoon crowds had left, and I was able to get decent pictures of both the front façade and a profile from nearby stairs. Heading towards the end of the marina, I began climbing sloping streets and alleyways, aiming for St Michael’s Fortress, passing a number of parish churches. Formidable in size and condition, I was put off by the 11,50€ admission price. After walking around as much as I could, and getting a shot of the Barone Fortress on the next hilltop, I kept wandering. At the garden of the St Lawrence Monastery, I took a break and had a “goldie smoothie” (banana, orange, carrot, kiwi, milk).

Šibenik is a very interesting town, I discovered in my wanderings. I’d selected the tour only because of the cathedrals in the three towns, but recognized that a day there would have been an excellent excursion. Almost everywhere I looked, great details shouted for a picture.

With a task prompting me, I headed back to the room. Getting online, I needed to check the billed balanced on my credit cards and then use online bill-pay to zero them out. Meanwhile, camera batteries and the reader were plugged in to charge. I took a nap once the bookkeeping was done. The weather was warm enough that I hadn’t worn my jacket all afternoon, but after plowing through emails, I grabbed it as I headed out to find dinner.

Winding up at the hotel restaurant, I suspect my choices on a Sunday evening might have been limited to it or “fast food”. Red wine by the glass and a Slavonska pizza were my choices, and there was plenty to eat. In the open air, I had a nice view of the harbor, and sat far enough back to avoid being near smokers.

When I was updating Facebook with my travels, the group page for the HOA advised that the administrator had limited my postings. Since I’d only shared my pictures of cathedrals, I suspected someone in the community had complained (we have a lot of bullying in that group), so I decided I’d no long contribute (share) posts from my trip. [If I see something I don’t want to view, I either use the Facebook tool to block posts from that source, or I just scroll past it.] I dug out the ticket I’d need in the morning, and then read until it was time to sleep.

Day 36 Split

Breakfast was included, so I had a scrambled eggs with bell peppers before packing up and making the 10-15 minute stroll to the bus depot. The Arriva bus loaded up at 8:30, and I was in Split about 10. There were several options for day storage of luggage, and I chose the second I came to.in the parking lot used by the buses. After getting both bags in, with my camera out and on my shoulder, the agent asked after my intentions. I’d been to St Dominus Cathedral on Easter, so I wanted to go to Solin and view the ruins of a cathedral there – we’d passed some ruins on the bus ride into Split, so I thought I knew where to go. He had a buddy who was a taxi driver, so called him and negotiated a fare of 50€ for me.

Setting off, the driver tried to take me to the new basilica in Solin. Obviously, I’d not communicated sufficiently, so I showed him where on Google Maps the ruins were. That took some seriously complex driving, as we circled the area to find the sole road giving access to the archeological park.

Ruins of the ex-Katedrala spasitelja Krista / Early Christian Basilica of Five Martyrs, Solin, Croatia — *ex-Katedrala spasitelja Krista / Early Christian Basilica of Five Martyrs*, Solin, Croatia

Below, on flat land, the remains of the ex-Katedrala spasitelja Krista / Early Christian Basilica of Five Martyrs were laid out. I spent about a half hour climbing around rocks and fallen walls. It was evident that this large building had been facing east, and the curved wall of an apse remains. In the space of the baptistry, a red brick cross-shaped font has been built.

[Now, looking at Maps, I would have insisted on going a bit further down the scrabble road in the park to the ruins of the Roman amphitheater. An oval, perhaps 300m wide, it has two rings of seating and a large stage/performance area.]

Side view of exterior facade of Co-cathedral Church of St. Peter the Apostle / Konkatedrala Crkva sv. Petar ap, Split, Croatia — *Co-cathedral Church of St. Peter the Apostle / Konkatedrala Crkva sv. Petar ap*, Split, Croatia

On our way back, per agreement, he stopped at the Co-cathedral Church of St. Peter the Apostle / Konkatedrala Crkva sv. Petar ap. Not included in my original research, this was a bonus, albeit the building was closed and I was only able to enter the Exposition Chapel. A modern structure, large brass wall art of robed figures praying, I would have really enjoyed seeing a modern era cathedral in the Balkans, as this had been built in 1979-80. Strikingly modern, that Monday was not my day.

Back to where I had my luggage stored, I parted company with the driver and began heading along a walkway lined with booths offering all kinds of goods. Passing through the gates in the old city walls, I soon arrived back at the Cathedral of St Dominus. Paying the 15€ admission for the purple ticket, I was able to visit the cathedral interior, the museum, the baptistry, the crypt and climb the tower. For two hours, I took full advantage of having access to these spaces: I especially savored my visits to the baptistry, the crypt and climbing the tower - great views.

When 3pm rolled around, acknowledging that I’d be on a bus during the dinner hour, I stopped in at Bokeria for a bowl of hearty soup and a glass of white wine. Wandering the palace area after my light lunch, I heard the pipe organ being played in the cathedral, so found a shaded spot to just relax and listen.

For pictures taken in Split that day, check out this link.

About an hour before scheduled departure, I headed back to retrieve my gear, passing the Dominican Church and Monastery of St Catherine of Alexandria. Romanesque bones, but baroque flourishes and modern glass. With little hassle, I got my gear more quickly than I anticipated, and, as it was sprinkling lightly, I found cover at a nearby bar and had a glass of wine while waiting on my bus to Mostar. The driver advised I needed a printed ticket, and sent me to Flixbus to trade 2€ for the ticket on a sheet of A4. Taking off about half full, we headed down the coast towards Dubrovnik to pick up a solo male carrying a guitar, and then turned around and began out ascent over and through the Dalmatian Mountains.